I need a new Saltare Dash?...ASAP

[Rusty]

Hello.

It's getting down to the wire on the remodel of my 87 Saltare. I was looking over recent pics of new grabber blue and shiny grey paint in my top cap and then realized that the dash was ugly as hell. There are two stainless metal plates with the push button switches on there that are purple stainless and faded. I'd like to get new components as well....Anyone have a suggestions for the plates and components?

[Ptownkid]

If you are looking to have someone make new plates for you, i have a cnc and would love to do it! The plan for mine is aluminum plate covered in carbon fiber vinyl.

[Rusty]

Ya. That would be awesome! Do you know where I might be able to find more of those push button switches and maybe LED's to update the originals? But the plates, for sure. Sounds awesome!

[Ptownkid]

Actually...if the original plates are in good condition and you are going to get stuff that fits, you could just wrap them in carbon fiber vinyl...

As for switches and leds, what kind of style are you looking for, there's so many choices it's not funny. My main form of employment involves audio electronics (studio recording gear) so I have leads on so many different types...

[michael hunter]

Skidim has the switches if they are stock.

[haugy]

Skidim has the switches if they are stock.

I second this. I get mine from them too.

[sybrmike]

For ASAP - re-use & replace original stuff if/where possible. Recovering the padded dash on an 87 shouldn't be too difficult (plus look how sharp Ptown's ended up). When I checked, Viper & others didn't have any original replacement panel inserts, so recovering could also be an option there. If Ptown can knock out some CNC replacements - that'd be great (especially if he could do the labeling, as well) - cutting by hand can be tedious (where was Ptown when I needed him?). Many sources available for gauges (except the Airguides) if needed & like MH said, skidim has the original style push button breaker/switches.

If you start changing things up (like I did), it'll slow things down - but you can make minor changes or start with a clean slate. Designing a new layout takes time, measuring, remeasuring & custom fabbing takes more time, wiring - well, let's just say I'm still working on it... But if you really want to update things to match your new look, it can be done -look what Ken Helfrich did with his dash (even remolded the fiberglass) & here's my before & after (well, almost "after" - hope to finish wiring this week).

[Ptownkid]

I have not done mine yet...you must be referring to someone else.

If anyone wants to scan the plates and send me a 1:1 file I can autocad the drawing in a heartbeat.

As for the text, yes, it can be engraved...

[sybrmike]

Sorry, my bad. I was thinking of the carbon fiber fabric wrap on TitanTN's Salt. It's good to have so many Salts on here to confuse.

That's a great offer - I still have what's left (broken corners, etc.) of my original dash insert panels from my 89 Salt if any one needs them for patterns or scans.

[Ptownkid]

Just scan them and send me the file...it will be useful for many people

[haugy]

Just scan them and send me the file...it will be useful for many people

I may try to do that with mine. What are you able to cut? Steel, aluminum, billet?

That would be beyond cool to have engrave dash panels.

[sybrmike]

I've got the scans, but with my limited hardware - not sure they're exactly 1:1. I can email you the files or can send you the plates themselves if that'd help. You can pm me your email or address.

[Ptownkid]

I may try to do that with mine. What are you able to cut? Steel, aluminum, billet?

That would be beyond cool to have engrave dash panels.

I have not yet tried stainless, but i'd like to steer clear of other steels...aluminum is what i mill and engrave 99% of the time.

[bdumas35]

I just finished my Saltare dash.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/bdumas35/Saltare%20Project/IMGP0069.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/bdumas35/Saltare%20Project/IMGP0073.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/bdumas35/Saltare%20Project/IMGP0072.jpg

I used real silver carbon fiber with adhesive backing. Got it on E-Bay.

Started by glasssing the old stapled together dash bones with 6 oz.
Then made a template and routed the panels with a trim bit.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/bdumas35/Saltare%20Project/IMGP0065.jpg

The gauges are Teleflex Driftwood Series. Switches are lighted tip.

[Ptownkid]

Oh wow...so good!

[wspeedin]

WOW!!! Sweet looking dash!!!

[wotan2525]

I am so jealous!!

[Salty87]

dayum! pics have me wishing i paid the slightest attention to my dash.

love all the saltare action lately!

[haugy]

I have not yet tried stainless, but i'd like to steer clear of other steels...aluminum is what i mill and engrave 99% of the time.

No problem. Just curious on what you use.


Sybrmike, can you scan them in? I haven't even taken my dash apart yet.

[haugy]

I just finished my Saltare dash.
I used real silver carbon fiber with adhesive backing. Got it on E-Bay.

Started by glasssing the old stapled together dash bones with 6 oz.
Then made a template and routed the panels with a trim bit.

The gauges are Teleflex Driftwood Series. Switches are lighted tip.

That is damn nice work right there man. Would you be willing to part with your template? If I could get that template to Ptownkid and get panels cut out of Aluminum that would sick.

I sure don't have the skillset to do what you did. :beer: to ya!

[bdumas35]

Sure. You can have it. PM me your address and I'll send it to you. Thanks to all for the kind words.

[Rusty]

Ptownkid... Looks like you're gonna have a line of people. I'd like to get some made by you, and possibly a dash design. Pm message me when you get a chance.

[sybrmike]

Dang dumas, that dash is bada$$! Great combo of colors & textures (I hope you have tinted windows cause that sexy silver weave could be blinding). I like how easy it is to get a brand new boat just by replacing the hour meter (0000 hours). :)

Haugy - the side panels look similar, but not sure if the inserts on the padded dashes are the same as our contoured plastic?

[wotan2525]

Ptownkid... Looks like you're gonna have a line of people. I'd like to get some made by you, and possibly a dash design. Pm message me when you get a chance.

Let's get some community action on. If PTownKid is willing to cut us some aluminum panels fairly cheaply, I'll volunteer my services to add laser engraved labels to all of the gauges and switches. For pretty cheap we'd all have brand new dash panels.

I think I'm getting wood.....

Here's a sample of the kind of stuff that I do:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/5711047381_42fed43895.jpg

[haugy]

Haugy - the side panels look similar, but not sure if the inserts on the padded dashes are the same as our contoured plastic?

OOOOH, good point. I didn't think about that.


Let's get some community action on. If PTownKid is willing to cut us some aluminum panels fairly cheaply, I'll volunteer my services to add laser engraved labels to all of the gauges and switches. For pretty cheap we'd all have brand new dash panels.

I think I'm getting wood.....

Here's a sample of the kind of stuff that I do:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/5711047381_42fed43895.jpg

That's pimp. I was thinking about getting them cut by Ptown, with a "Supra" logo cut out of the middle. Then powder coat black. Then put black lexan behind the Supra, and put led's in to backlight it when the dash is on.

If I had your engraving skills Wotan I would have so much custom crap I would never be able to sell it. Haugy's this......Haugy's that......:D

[Ptownkid]

Oh snap...you have the ability to laser things...we're gonna talk. I love it when a plan comes together!!!

[wotan2525]

If I had your engraving skills Wotan I would have so much custom crap I would never be able to sell it. Haugy's this......Haugy's that......:D

Hah! People always say that but I'm so burnt out on anything laser cut/engraved that I don't really own much that has it. I used to sell that equipment -- I'm in a different industry now but I still have after-hours access to a LOT of laser equipment. This would be a cool project.

Once Ptownkid generates a dxf of those templates, it would also be easy to cut out the lexan panels and engrave them with a supra logo. The only thing that would limit any of these ideas is the creativity.

Here's a picture of edge lit lexan that has been laser cut and engraved then mounted over an aluminum plate. http://scopeboy.com/scopeblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ninja-top1.jpg

[haugy]

Is anyone else getting a little excited knowing we have all these skilled as hell people in the same hobby that can make some really cool stuff?

Alright, here's a challenge. Can this be done?

Get lexan cut like bdumas' template. I'd have to get a template for the speedo's as mine has a panel for them. Then get the switch's labels laser engraved above each switch (bilge, blower, etc). Then under the speedo's have it say Supra Saltare.

Now the tricky part. Is there a way to make them visible during the day, and illuminate at night?

[bdumas35]

[QUOTE=sybrmike;58095]Dang dumas, that dash is bada$$! Great combo of colors & textures (I hope you have tinted windows cause that sexy silver weave could be blinding). I like how easy it is to get a brand new boat just by replacing the hour meter (0000 hours). :)

Yeah Mike, hopefully my tinted windows and bimini will cut the glare. But I couldn't resist when I came across that carbon.

Love them 0000's. It's been almost two years of rebuild getting there.

I will post my Saltare rebuild thread in a day or so if anyone is interested in another Salt build.

[Ptownkid]

I've been toying with the whole edge lit idea for a while...but for a boat dash I worry about two things...hiding the leds, and legibility in all light conditions.

So i guess the thing to do right now is have sybrmike send me his old plates so I can create a template file and we can go from there...however, a simple scan of them would be fine. In order to keep it to scale, you just have to be mindful of your options while scanning/saving the files. Meaning no "fit to page" or anything like that.

[sybrmike]

I'm limited on computer soft/hardware, but made grayscale scans @ 300 dpi in jpeg format (no reductions, scale to fit, etc.). PM me your email & I'll send em out. Happy to send the actual plates for reference as well if you include your address.

Edge lit would be tricky. However backlighting wouldn't be too hard. Maybe just cut through the plate & put on a backer of colored plexiglass with led behind. Could even use the "gel" films used in theatrical lighting - they come in a rainbow of colors & they're tough. I've used the same gel cutouts in our landscape lighting to change colors with the holidays for years - outdoors with halogens & they hold up fine.

Dang you guys - cnc plates, backlit, laser etched - now I'm thinking my basic black motif looks plain :confused:

[Ptownkid]

Yeah, we're gonna step it up a notch!!!

Pm'd

[Salty87]

you guys have some sweet skills and toys....can't wait to see where this ends up. i'm def interested.

looking forward to another rebuild thread too...

[sybrmike]

Ptown - you've got mail & actual panels will be on the way tomorrow.

[Rusty]

Hah! People always say that but I'm so burnt out on anything laser cut/engraved that I don't really own much that has it. I used to sell that equipment -- I'm in a different industry now but I still have after-hours access to a LOT of laser equipment. This would be a cool project.

Once Ptownkid generates a dxf of those templates, it would also be easy to cut out the lexan panels and engrave them with a supra logo. The only thing that would limit any of these ideas is the creativity.

Here's a picture of edge lit lexan that has been laser cut and engraved then mounted over an aluminum plate. http://scopeboy.com/scopeblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ninja-top1.jpg


Yowza Wotan! That's some beastly work in that pic broda! IM TOTALLY IN ON THIS ONE!!! We need some art ideas..

[haugy]

Okay how about this one since hiding LEDs and lightability seems tricky.

Ptown cuts out the templates to match bdumas. Then on the speedo plate cuts out a Supra Saltare. Get it powdercoated black. Behind the Supra Saltare put smoked clear lexan (they white haze type). This will give it a white appearance in day. Then put red LED's behind it so back light it. The haze will keep the LED's from being bright, but will still pop, and the LEDs don't have to be edge mounted.

I just really like bdumas' layout. Clean, very close to original with a nice modern twist. thoughts?

[sybrmike]

Ptown - my old panels are on their way to you via USPS priority mail. They said 5-10 days to deliver, but I'll email you the customs tracking number. Maybe others can donate scans or patterns as dashes come apart & you can start a library of different models & years. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with. See what you've gotten yourself into...

[Ptownkid]

This is one of the things I love about forums that have a great community spirit...Sybrmike has already redone his dash, but in an effort to help other has paid to mail his old ones to me...great stuff right there. Love it!

[haugy]

Sooooooooooo what's the dealio?

Who's got Bdumas' template? I still would like to pursue this.

[Ptownkid]

Waiting for the panels to arrive in the mail from sybmike...we just had a 2 week postal lock-out end yesterday.

[haugy]

Crazy canucks. :D

[sybrmike]

Guess I shoulda sprung for UPS... Don't know if the delivery confirmation # I sent you will help tracking? Hope they show up soon.

[haugy]

Ptown, let me know when you get them.

I figure I could use Sybrmike's template on the left side and mirror it for the right. No offense, I like the gauges evenly spread on both sides, not all on one.

I could then drill holes for switches like bdumas did.

[bdumas35]

I still have my wooden template if you're interested in checking it out. I made it slightly oversize because the openings of the dash were too large and some of the panel screws weren't attached to anything. It also gives a little more room for the switches.

My panels are mirror imaged except the horn hole is larger.

[sybrmike]

Haugy, I sent Ptown the old original panels from my Salt, not templates of the new panels I made. I just used the old panels for outlines & mounting screw holes, then masked off the faces, laid out my set-up on the masking tape, & went to cuttin'.

So he'll have the original layout (gauges on both sides), or just the outline if you're starting with a clean slate. Like bdumas35, I had several panel screws just barely contacting the dash. Also, I had to repair the old dash holes in some places and clearance the dash in a few others to make room for everything on the backside. So, I'd recommend waiting to drill panel mounting holes to match your existing cause we all know the exacting tolerances the factory used back then ;).